Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), the regulatory body for Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated free zone technology park, today held the third edition of The Entrepreneur Day business plan competition at its Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (DTEC), the largest of its kind in the Middle East.
The Entrepreneur Day 2016 edition drew the participation of 350 attendees and 76 exhibiting start-ups and provided a unique networking opportunity for entrepreneurs focusing on technology products or solutions to meet with investors and stakeholders within the ecosystem. Emerging entrepreneurs were invited to share their start-up proposals, prototype products and business plans.
Speaking on The Entrepreneur Day 2016 event, Shahla Ahmed Abdul Razak, Deputy CEO at DSOA, said: “At Dubai Silicon Oasis, we are committed to supporting the development and expansion of the entrepreneurial sector in the UAE. Our efforts at hosting events of this kind are in line with articulating the country’s vision of supporting this sector and enhancing its contribution to the nation’s GDP.
“Needless to say, the entrepreneurial sector plays a crucial role in ensuring the diversification and growth of the national economy. Over the years and through our consistent association with such events, we have identified the challenges that start-ups and entrepreneurs in this region face and carefully crafted solutions to address those challenges.”
She added: “We are confident that through DTEC, we will expand our core mandate and create a nurturing and enabling ecosystem to harness the ideas of young innovative minds, and see them achieve fruition. The centre is fully dedicated to provide technopreneurs with the necessary support. Today we are proud to share that DTEC hosts more than 600 start-ups and entrepreneurs from over 63 countries.”
Eight shortlisted applicants had the opportunity to pitch their business plans to a live audience and judging panel on November 16. Padam Chhabra, CEO and Co-Founder of Clip the Deal, the winning entrepreneur received US$10,000 in cash as well as a free service licence, flexi-desk space within DTEC and incubational support for his start-up.
Speaking on his achievement in bagging the top prize, Padam Chhabra, said: “I am grateful to DSOA for the opportunity to participate in this exciting competition that has allowed me to interact with experts and the general public for greater insight. My team and I will leverage this win to strategize further and adapt our business plan based on the feedback received from the judging panel. I am confident this win and our enhancements to the project will immensely support our expansion plans and inspire it to achieve its fullest potential.”
In addition to the competition, The Entrepreneur Day also included a packed agenda of thought sessions and panels headlined by renowned technology experts. Dr. Tommy Weir, Founder of Emerging Markets Leadership Center and author of the acclaimed book “Leadership Dubai Style”, provided the opening keynote on Innovative Leadership.
Of the two panels hosted, the first was a collaborative session among corporates and start-ups featuring Anthony Butler from IBM, Michael Mansour from Microsoft, Rami Salman from Wrappup and Sami Al Sayed from Shortpoint.
The second panel focused on Disrupting Travel and included Colin Rhys from Hyperloop One, Aya Sadder from Intelak and Adib Samara from Careem.
In another popular segment, Mai Madhat from Eventtus, Jon Richards from compareit4me and Ray Dargham from Step Group presented their success stories to inspire the audience.
A wholly-owned entity of the government of Dubai, DSO operates as a free zone technology park for large enterprises, medium and small companies looking to set up their offices in Dubai.